For The Longest Time
by AtLoLevad
Summary: Tony tells the team his big news. Gibbs gives him one last pep talk in the way only Gibbs can and Tony finally gets his happy ending.


"Hey, McGee, Bishop," Tony stood up from his desk, "Let's go. Lunch is on me today."

McGee and Bishop both looked up from their respective paperwork, incredulous looks on their faces.

"Tony?" Tim sounded concerned, "Are you dying or something? You never voluntarily spring for lunch."

"Can't a guy just buy his friends lunch?" Tony complained dramatically, "Without said friends being suspicious?"

"A guy can," Bishop grinned. "You can't."

"I'm hurt, Bish," Tony clapped his hand over his heart.

Tim and Ellie shared an eye roll at their friend's dramatics.

Tony continued, "But seriously. Grab Abs and the Gremlin. We'll have a team lunch."

And with that he grabbed his jacket and wallet and strolled towards the elevator.

Before the doors shut, he called out, "I'll be at the Italian place down the block."

"Are we sure he's not sick?" Ellie asked, frowning a little.

Tony had been acting weird lately. Weirder, anyway. It was almost like the year he'd been keeping the big Jeanne Benoit secret, Tim thought, but less intense.

"I don't know," Tim shook his head. "The last time he acted like this, he did have a big secret. I guess we'd better get Abby and Jimmy. Get the answers, you know?"

Ellie nodded. She gathered up her jacket and purse, "I'll get Jimmy and meet you outside?"

"I'll grab Abby," Tim agreed, his mind distracted by Tony's secretive behavior

* * *

When the quintet got to Tony's favorite (nearby) Italian place, he had already ordered drinks for everyone.

A beer for himself (Tim side eyed that. It was 12:30 on a Tuesday!) And the rest of the drinks positioned around the table. Tim's own beer was at the setting to Tony's right, Jimmy's Coke next to him, Ellie's club soda and lemon next, and then a over large plastic cup of Caf-Pow for Abby on Tony's left.

It looked like the Last Supper.

Prompted by the weird looks he was getting, Tony gestured to the seats, "Sit down. I'm not going to attack. There's no crazy guy in my earpiece feeding me instructions to kill you like in Mission Impossible 5."

Ellie, Abby, and Jimmy looked to Tim. He shrugged, "I'm sure he's harmless," and sat down.

"Thanks for the ringing endorsement, McLeader," Tony said, and they were all shocked to hear the _lack_ of sarcasm in his tone.

Abby tapped her fingers against the table's edge for a few seconds before bursting. "Tony, you'd better not be sick. You're freaking us all out. This is weird! You never voluntarily pay for lunch and Tim and Ellie said you've been acting weird and they're right! What's going on?"

McGee watched as Tony's face went slack, so subtly that he was sure no one else has picked up on the change. That had him convinced. _Somethin_ g was up with his best friend and they were going to have a bombshell dropped on them any minute.

Tony huffed a sigh, "Okay. I wanted you guys to be the first to know -"

"Oh my god!" Abby exclaimed, "You _are_ sick! You had a plague relapse!"

"Plague?" Bishop whispered to Jimmy. There was still so much she didn't know about these people.

"Long story," Jimmy whispered back. Louder, he said, "Abby, I don't think Tony's sick."

"Thank you, Jimmy," Tony said appreciatively. "If I could finish..." he looked pointedly at Abby and she frowned, "Then I can tell you that I'm not sick. But, I am leaving."

"WHAT?" Four voices mingled together, attracting the attention of several people sitting nearby.

Tony smiled placidly at one older woman who was looking on, concerned.

"Tony!" Abby wailed, "What are you talking about?"

Tony held up his hand to stop further questions. Abby's mouth snapped shut and McGee's forehead creased. Bishop and Jimmy looked shell-shocked.

"This has been in the works for a while," Tony said, looking equal parts sad and excited. "I just got the okay from Vance last night and I wanted you all to know first."

He paused (for dramatic effect, Tim assumed) before breaking out into a high wattage grin, "You're looking at the new leader for an NCIS team in Rota."

McGee knew what a big deal this was. Tony had deserved his own team for years and years now. But, while he was happy for his friend, Tim knew he'd miss Tony a lot.

Tim was the first to react for this reason. He grinned widely and leaned over to hug the older man, "Congratulations, Tony. You deserve this."

Tony accepted the hug and even embraced Tim back. "Thanks, man. It's a big step."

Because they had known Tony for 13 plus years, only Tim and Abby heard the apprehension in his usually joking tone.

So Abby, tears in her eyes, sprung up and wrapped Tony in a bone-breaking hug. She whispered, "I'm so proud of you. I'm going to miss you so much, Tony. I want Skype calls every week."

"Every day, Abs," Tony promised, breathless from lack of oxygen. Tim gently peeled her arms from around Tony's neck and Abby let go reluctantly.

"Congratulations, Tony," Jimmy reached out to clasp hands with the agent. "You'll be great."

"Thanks, Jimmy," Tony smiled sincerely. He'd been so worried about sharing his news for so long, it was nice to have the support of his family.

"How about you, Bish?" Tony turned to the newest agent. "No good wishes?"

Ellie shook her head, "No," and then she looked freaked out, "No, I mean yes. I'm happy for you and you'll be a great team leader. But, does Gibbs know? I mean, you told us and Vance knows. But, you never said anything about Gibbs."

Tony scratched at the back of his neck sheepishly, "Yeah, about that."

"Oh no, Tony," Tim groaned, "You didn't tell him? Do you want to be head slapped to Rota?"

"I didn't want to say anything in case the transfer wasn't approved!" Tony defended himself, raising his hands in defense.

"You have to tell him, Tony!" Abby exclaimed. "This is going to be bad."

She punctuated her statement with a slurp of Caf-Pow.

* * *

Sworn to secrecy (for now), the rest of the day passed normally. Without a case, Gibbs and his team left at a normal time.

Tim shot Tony a pointed look as they got on the elevator, saving his comments for when they were by their parked cars.

"Are you gonna tell Boss?" Tim asked, leaning against the passenger side of Tony's car. "The longer you wait, the worse it's going to be."

Tony sighed, "I'm gonna go over there tonight. Maybe pick up some steaks and break it to him?"

Before Tim could answer, Tony continued, "It's like I'm trying to break up with him. Jeez."

"You'll be fine, Tony," his friend said sympathetically. Tim climbed into his car and left Tony standing in the lot.

"I don't even have a movie reference for this," Tony said out loud before getting into his own car and driving off.

He arrived at Gibbs' house less than 20 minutes later. "Here goes nothing," he muttered to himself.

The door, as always, was unlocked.

The fridge, as always, was full of beer.

And his boss, as always, was sanding away at something in the basement.

It was nice, Tony noted, that some things never changed.

"Boss?" Tony caught Gibbs' attention as he walked down the stairs, losing his tie and suit jacket on the way.

"Gonna have to stop calling me that, DiNozzo," Gibbs said, sly smile on his face. Tony could feel his jaw drop.

"How? You know?" Tony spluttered. "I thought..."

"You thought you were being stealthy?" Gibbs chuckled, sanding away. "Ziva was stealthy, DiNozzo. You're not."

Tony frowned and plunked down on the sawhorse. He leaned his elbow on his knee and rested his chin on the palm of his hand. "How come you didn't say anything, Boss?"

"Knew you needed time to come to terms," Gibbs shrugged nonchalantly. "Getting ducks in a row isn't a bad thing, DiNozzo."

Ruffling a hand through his hair, Tony admitted, "Got my transfer approved by Vance last night."

"I know."

"I get to pick my own team."

"I know."

"Told McGee, Bishop, Abs, and Palmer today."

"Figured as much when you all disappeared for an hour and a half."

Tony heaved a sigh, "This is a big step, Boss. Think I'm ready?"

Gibbs put down the sanding block and reached out to dump a mason jar of nails on his workstation. Tony took the proffered booze, used to Gibbs' quirks by now.

"Listen to me, Tony," Gibbs said, looking him directly in the eye. "This is a long time coming. Thought you were ready back when Jenny offered you Rota. It was a matter of you thinking you were ready."

Tony knocked back the booze.

"You're ready, DiNozzo. I've taught you all you need to know," Gibbs' blue eyes softened and he tilted his head as he toasted Tony with his own mason jar.

"I've still got another month," Tony said, needlessly, he thought, since Gibbs probably already knew that too.

"Just enough time for you to help us fill your desk," Gibbs said simply.

"Boss! I'm hurt! You think I'm that easily replaceable?"

"Aw, shut up, DiNozzo and help me sand."

* * *

Eight hours was a brutal flight time no matter where you were sitting, Tony thought, flexing his legs. He didn't have to be in his new office until Monday, but he wanted to get a head start, lay of the land type thing.

His new place (temporarily) was on base housing, a short distance from the Rota field office. So he dropped his bags, knowing that more suitcases would be arriving in the weeks to come.

Finding a permanent place to live was the top of his to-do list, but right now he just wanted to see what his bullpen would look like.

The Rota office wasn't painted with the same familiar (garish) orange; Tony saw when he first stepped off the elevator. He missed it.

But other than that, the same basic layout applied. His new bullpen was even next to windows like the old one.

There was a background layer of chatter in the office, even coming from his bullpen. He stopped short by the first desk, his eyes widening.

"What are you doing here?"

She stopped talking on the phone for a moment and smiled widely at him.

"Having phone sex?"

Tony let out a strangled laugh.

"He just got here. I will tell him to call you, Tim. Thank you for the tail's up," she smiled into the receiver. "Heads, tails. What does it matter?"

She said another goodbye and hung up the phone. Tony was still standing by the desk, shaking his head.

"You're not standing here, in my bullpen, in Spain, asking me that," Tony laughed. "I'm dreaming."

Her eyes twinkling, Ziva stepped forward a half step, still aware of the distance between them. "Would you like me to pinch you?"

Tony laughed genuinely then. He dropped his jacket to the floor and moved further into the bullpen.

"I'd like nothing more," he smiled. "What are you doing here, Ziva?"

She brushed a hand through her hair. It was shorter, Tony noticed. But then again, it had been almost three years since he had seen her.

"Tim called me," she said simply. "He thought that I might...want to know that you would be in my shoulder of the woods."

Some things really didn't change.

"Neck," he corrected, feeling like it could be 5 years ago.

She waved a dismissive hand, "I speak nine languages. I do not have time for idioms."

"Nine, huh?" Tony commented. "It was seven counting English and Hebrew when I last saw you."

There was nothing but affection in his tone.

Ziva's smile fell a little, "I...have had a lot of time on my hands."

"You still in Israel?" Tony asked, knowing that they were dancing awkwardly around the elephant in the room. Knowing it and unable to stop it.

"It is where my house is, yes," she shrugged. "But, I don't not spend more than a week or two there at a time."

"Lots to see in Europe," Tony shrugged right back.

"Mmhm," Ziva hummed. "Spain is beautiful this time of year."

"Yeah?" Tony asked, hopeful.

"Yes," she bit at her lower lip. Her fingers twisted together, a nervous habit that she'd never had before.

"Think you could show me around?" Tony asked, a smile causing his eyes to crinkle at the corners. "I just moved here."

He had been moving closer as he spoke, and now Tony stopped in front of Ziva, only a handful of inches separating them.

She flicked her gaze from his eyes to his lips and back again.

"I think I can handle that," Ziva subconsciously licked her lips.

Gibbs had been right, Tony realized as Ziva hesitantly slipped her hand into his and they walked out of the building.

He was ready.

* * *

 _A/N: Not much to say. Still sad about Michael leaving, but I'm hopeful for a Tiva reunion. Wanted to throw my fic 2 cents into the ring. Let me know what you think :)_


End file.
